College Admissions Expert Elizabeth Levine: Help with Student Debt

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Elizabeth Levine

Is there any help for students who are out of college and have student debt?

I receive panicked calls from young adults that have graduated college and/or graduate school asking for advice on how to manage their student debt that they now have to undertake and manage. Each situation is different but there is help that too many students don't take advantage of and should look into.

For a student's federally backed loans there are 2 programs that can cap your payments between 10 – 15% of discretionary income and the remaining loan balance will be forgiven (yes, I said forgiven, poof, gone!), after 20 – 25 years. As long as you are diligently making that 10 – 15% of your discretionary income payment, which could be as low as $10 per month, regardless of how much is left after 20 – 25 years (depending on the program you are in), the remaining balance, principal and all that interest is gone.

If you work in public service, and that means any working for the government or registered non-profit, your loans will be forgiven in 10 years.

What is astounding is that this program is significantly under enrolled, even with the government actively marketing these programs.

If you have student debt, I urge you to at least explore these programs that are available to help in managing your loans providing the opportunity to help you financially thrive as opposed to being strapped with loans and going backwards.

If you have any questions about the college admissions process or the above information please do not hesitate to contact me at info@signaturecollegecounseling.com or by phone, 845.551.6946.